5 Ways to Look Your Best 9 to 5

In Glamour’s January edition they featured some of the women who work at some of New York’s fashion brands and the outfits they wore on a daily basis.

All fab! We don’t roam the Garment District or work with top designers but we can steal a few of their style secrets. Work outfits shouldn’t be boring but they should require excessive thought and planning either. After all, some of our waking hours have to be devoted to actual work.

So here are five tips to make planning that 9 to 5 look a little easier.

1. When in doubt, go monochrome. It could be all white, all black or even a pastel but wearing one colour from top to bottom makes you look very polished.

2. Black isn’t the only neutral. It’s an absolute essential for me and many other women but don’t limit yourself. Grey can often be more interesting as well as navy and even leopard. Yes, a print can be considered neutral.

3. Jewellery that shows your personality. You can get a little quirky here, especially if the rest of your outfit is simple. Whether it’s their colour or size, unexpected rings or necklaces can be great conversation starters. How about this leopard band from Betsey Johnson that’s available here?

4. Office supplies are accessories. Notebooks, pens and other everyday essentials are easy ways to show some personality in offices that can be quite drab. Know your industry and your office, of course, but if you can take the risk, do it! My iPad case is zebra print because I simply couldn’t bear the thought of having a boring black one like a 50 year old accountant or economist. Check out the notebooks at Target.

5. It’s about unusual details. “Business” and “corporate” can sound all serious and structured. And they should be at times, like when you’re performing your duties. But a small leather or lace trim on the hem of a skirt or a collar can do wonders to overall look.

*In my next post, we’ll talk about workplace shoes. Then it’s on to making sure the guys in our lives are upping their fashion game as well*

Related

Natasha Beckles is a freelance copyeditor, writer and content creator. She has over a decade's experience in both traditional and online media. In addition to blogging about fashion and travel, she uses the written word to help brands and individuals tell their unique stories.